Session 48: Escalation
General Summary
Hearing Kina's message, the party left the mines, stopping at the office near the entrance to update Foreman Noldrum. The foreman seemed hesitant to believe that the spiders would agree to leave the miners alone, though he did offer the party the 500 gold pieces needed to resurrect Eirame. Alden discerned that he seemed surprised and annoyed that the party survived. Wishing to avoid the Hexodyne Chapel and any Hexalian Order clerics, the party sought out other ways to resurrect Eirame. The healer in the Refinery Quarter who gave the party details about the disease was unskilled enough to resurrect the dead, but she directed the party to Healer Nostok in the Artisan Quarter. Nostok questioned the party about why they wished to avoid the church, briefly revealing a brand on his finger depicting an open book with a flame coming out of it. Shadow made a similar gesture, which reassured the healer. He left the party alone, taking gold from Alden to procure a suitable diamond from a nearby artisan, and then he returned to begin the ritual. Alden, Shadow, and Belzaphir all reached out to Eirame's spirit, aiding in the ritual's success and bringing her back to life. Leaving the healer, the party headed next to meet Kina Veslynd at the College of Mysteries. Shadow occasionally spotted a hooded, cloaked, figure following them. Passing the College of Might, the party was accosted by Inquisitor Verjat and several other Hexalian Order adherents. Retreating to an alley, the party entered combat with the order, leaving them unconscious. The hooded figure joined in the fight, spraying a magical poison gas at Alden behind. Eirame knocked him prone, seeing that he was Foreman Noldrum, and the party opted to knock him unconscious as well. Leaving the Order members behind, the party decided to take the unconscious foreman with them. In the process of carrying him, they detected harder patches on his chest and arms that proved to be patches of scales. Hurrying to the College of Mysteries with an intent of a quick rendezvous with Kina before leaving town, the party met her on the steps. Already intent on bringing the party to Vigilance Headquarters, Kina hurried them to the top of the college's main tower and briefly introduced them to Dean Olenna Brightweave, a female dwarven wizard and Vigilance sympathizer. Olenna ushered the party into a room of teleportation circles and cast a spell to send them through a circle to the Vigilance Headquarters in Eleth Telora. Stepping out into a room with walls made from white-opalescent chitin, the party was greeted by a Shadow Gnome wearing a robe and mask, who introduced himself as a Spymaster, welcoming them to the headquarters and saying that he and the party had much to discuss.
